Aiming and scoring attachment for pitchback nets

• US 3,963,240 A
• Filed: 02/12/1975
• Issued: 06/15/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lynn W. Tidwell
• Original Assignee: Lynn W. Tidwell
• Inventors: Tidwell, Lynn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siskind, Marvin
• Application Number:
  US05/549,137
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 273/26 R, 273/26 A, 273/29 B, 273/181 R, 273/181 A, 273/181 F, 273/181 J, 273/181 K, 273/183 R, 273/102 AP, 273/102 R, 273/102 S , 273/102.1 R, 273/102.1 B, 273/102.1 C
• US Class Current: 273/381
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/005 Keeping track of the point of impact or entry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

A scoring attachment for a pitchback net of conventional elastic-panel construction provides a mounting bar spaced from the rear face of the panel, and a plurality of target-bearing arms pivoted on the mounting bar. Each of said targets--suitably four in number and marked with the number of hits possible in accord of the rules of baseball, one through four--is faced with a circular aiming disk and is spaced from the mounting bar to provide clearly separate aiming points for a player; each target is also provided with an audible annunciator--suitably a gong--to indicate impact of a ball with sufficient energy to deform the elastic panel against the target and is further provided with spring means urging it into a rest position in a plane parallel to the elastic panel and in line with the location of the mounting bar.

Claims

1. An aiming and scoring attachment for a baseball pitchback device comprising an open frame having a central opening therethrough, and elastically deflectable panel spanning said opening and secured about its perimeter to said frame, and means for supporting said frame in a generally upright position of use, wherein a ball may be thrown against the panel to deflect the panel rearwardly, whereby the elastic strain energy developed in the panel during rearward deflection thereof returns the panel forwardly to impel the ball back toward the thrower, said attachment comprising:

mounting means adapted to be secured to said pitchback device behind said panel, at least one arm pivoted on said mounting means for free swinging movement about a given axis,

spring means for urging said arm in one direction of rotation about said axis,

target means at the outer end of said arm including a target member mounted on the arm for extension in said one direction of rotation and retraction in the opposite direction of rotation relative to said arm, a spring for urging said target member in said one direction of rotation relative to the arm, and annunciator means actuated by retraction of said target member relative to the arm to produce a signal, and

limit stop means for limiting swinging movement of said arm in said one direction of rotation to a normal position wherein said target member is disposed to be located adjacent the rear side of said panel and limiting swinging movement of said arm in said opposite direction of rotation to a retracted position in a manner such that impact of a ball with said panel opposite said target member deflects the panel rearwardly to actuate said annunciator means and drive said arm rearwardly toward its retracted position to permit sufficient deflection of the panel to return the ball toward the thrower.

2. The attachment of claim 1 wherein:

said mounting means comprises a bar, and means for securing said bar to said pitchback device in a position behind and parallel to said panel, and

said arm is swingable about the longitudianl axis of said bar.

3. The attachment of claim 2 wherein:

said pitchback frame supporting means comprise frame members extending rearwardly from opposite sides of said frame, and

said securing means comprises means for supporting the ends of said bar on said frame members for adjustment of said bar along said frame members, and means for clamping said bar in fixed position along said frame members.

4. The attachment of claim 1 wherein:

said attachment includes a plurality of said arms pivoted on said mounting means for swinging movement about and spaced along said axis, each arm mounting a target means, and

the several arms being disposed in substantially a common plane parallel to said axis in said normal positions of the arms.

5. The attachment of claim 4 wherein:

certain arms extend to one side and other arms extend to the opposite side of said axis.

6. The attachment of claim 5 wherein:

one arm is longer than the remaining arms.

7. The attachment of claim 6 wherein:

said mounting means comprises a bar, and means for securing said bar to said pitchback device in a position behind and parallel to said panel, and

said arm is swingable about the longitudinal axis of said bar.

8. The attachment of claim 7 wherein:

said pitchback frame supporting means comprise frame members exteding rearwardly from opposite sides of said frame, and

said securing means comprises means for supporting the ends of said bar on said frame members for adjustment of said bar along said frame members, and means for clamping said bar in fixed position along said frame members.

9. In combination:

a baseball pitchback device comprising an open frame having a central opening therethrough, an elastically deflectable panel spanning said opening and secured about its perimeter to said frame, and means for supporting said frame in a generally upright position of use, wherein a ball may be thrown against said panel to deflect the latter rearwardly, whereby the elastic strain energy developed in the panel during rearward deflection thereof returns the panel forwardly to impel the ball back toward the thrower,

aiming and scoring means mounted on said pitchback device behind said panel comprising mounting means secured to said device, at least one arm pivoted on said mounting means behind said panel for free swinging movement of the arm about an axis generally parallel to the plane of said panel, spring means for urging said arm forwardly toward said panel, target means at the outer end of said arm including a target member mounted on the arm for forward extension and rearward retraction relative to said arm, a spring for urging said target member forwardly relative to the arm, and actuator means actuated by rearward retraction of said target member relative to the arm to produce a signal, and limit stop means for limiting forward swinging movement of said arm toward said panel to a normal position wherein said target member is disposed adjacent the rear side of said panel and limiting rearward swinging movement of said arm away from said panel to a retracted position, in a manner such that impact of a ball with said panel opposite said target member deflects the panel rearwardly to actuate said annunciator means and drive said arm rearwardly toward its retracted position to permit sufficient deflection of the panel to return the ball toward the thrower.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein:

said mounting means comprises a bar, and means for securing said bar to said pitchback device in a position behind and parallel to said panel, and

said arm is swingable about the longitudinal axis of said bar.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein:

said pitchback frame supporting means comprise frame members extending rearwardly from opposite sides of said frame, and

said securing means comprises means for supporting the ends of said bar on said frame members for adjustment of said bar along said frame members, and means for clamping said bar in fixed position along said frame members.

12. The combination according to claim 9 wherein:

said attachment includes a plurality of said arms pivoted on said mounting means for swinging movement about and spaced along said axis, each arm mounting a target means, and

the several arms being disposed in substantially a common plane parallel to said axis in said normal positions of the arms.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein:

certain arms extend to one side and other arms extend to the opposite side of said axis.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein:

one arm is longer than the remaining arms.

15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein:

said mounting means comprises a bar, and means for securing said bar to said pitchback device in a position behind and parallel to said panel, and

said arm is swingable about the longitudinal axis of said bar.

16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein:

said pitchback frame supporting means comprise frame members extending rearwardly from opposite sides of said frame, and

said securing means comprises means for supporting the ends of said bar on said frame members for adjustment of said bar along said frame members, and means for clamping said bar in fixed position along said frame members.